July 30, 2018
Cats' Cupboard looks toward one-year anniversary, new ways to donate and food justice advocacy
Since opening its doors at the end of September 2017, Cats' Cupboard, K-State's food pantry, has had more than 1,800 visits and 400 unique users. The pantry expects usage to continue to grow in the fall 2018 semester and for years to come.
Save the date for Oct. 15-19. Due to its overwhelming success in April 2018, Cats' Cupboard will host another Open Cupboard event. The focus of this open house is to increase knowledge of campus and community resources, pantry services, location and word of mouth marketing, as well as a food drive to stock the shelves.
Ways to donate: Summer has been very busy and the shelves are looking a little bare, but you can help! The pantry has many ways to donate, and recently included direct delivery through an Amazon wish list. The wish list is updated regularly and includes immediate needs items that may be purchased through the wish list and delivered directly to the pantry. Other ways to donate include in-person donations and food drives; pantry needs are updated on the website regularly. Lastly, financial contributions may be made through the KSU Foundation account.
Food justice advocacy: You don't have to wait until Open Cupboard this fall to be a Cats' Cupboard advocate! Check out — and share — this video designed to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and promote this student success service. This summer Sarah Barrett, Clery Act Federal Compliance coordinator and pantry supervisor; Tamara Bauer, Leadership Studies faculty and Advisory Board co-chair; Christine Rock, senior in food science, founder of K-State Food Recovery Network, and Advisory Board member; and Erin Bishop, food pantry coordinator, visited the Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Food Pantry at the University of Arkansas. Full Circle Food Pantry has been in operation for seven years and representatives were able to learn some best practices and current challenges facing a peer institution. Overall, representatives left energized as they work to develop ideas for connections with local agencies and corporate sponsorships, ways to engage our campus community in discussion of food insecurity, and stigma reduction. Plus, it was a great reminder of the major progress being made right here on our campus.
The development of the K-State food pantry truly affirms K-State's commitment to being a transformative land-grant university where student success is synonymous with academic excellence and student well-being. We look forward to partnering with as many members of our campus community as possible, as we continue to make strides that address food insecurity on the K-State campus and within our community.
The pantry will have updated and expanded semester hours beginning Aug. 20. We look forward to welcoming students back in a few short weeks.